This invention is generally directed to a novel shoulder protector which protects a wearer's shoulder from bruising and discoloration which is caused by a brassiere strap. More particularly, the invention contemplates a shoulder protector that securely holds the brassiere strap securely and minimizes the amount of movement of the strap on the wearer's shoulder.
The shoulder straps of a brassiere tend to cause irritation and bruises due to the straps digging, rubbing or indenting into the skin of the shoulders. This is especially a problem for full-figured women.
Prior art pads have attempted to provide relief for women from the irritation that occurs due to the straps. One such attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,935 which uses a cushion pad which is attached to the underside of the strap. While this type of prior art pad provides some relief, the pad is often not stiff enough to prevent the brassiere strap from indenting into the pad and into the shoulder of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,399 provides a pad that includes a stiff material which has a cushion material attached thereto. The cushion material contacts the skin of the wearer. The strap is connected to the pad by tabs which are formed in the rigid material. While this type of pad distributes the weight of the strap and effectively prevents the strap from indenting into the shoulder of a wearer, it appears that the tabs often do not securely hold the strap in place. The tabs may catch on the inside of the clothing that covers the brassiere strap which may cause the strap to become dislodged from the pad. Additionally, the tabs may cause unsightly bulging in the clothing.
The present invention provides a novel shoulder protector pad which effectively prevents the strap from digging, rubbing or indenting into the shoulder of a wearer while minimizing the visibility of the shoulder protector under clothing. The present invention also provides an improved attachment for the brassiere strap to the protector so that the possibility of the strap dislodging from the protector is minimized.